chevy 2002 1500HD Silverado

garysol wrote:
Just to beat a dead horse...... a 1500HD is not a half ton it is a 3/4 ton from the 6.0 litre and semi floating axles to the springs and brakes.
To the OP.... Even though your truck is a 3/4 ton you still do not have lots of carrying capacity. If it were me I would run your truck over a scale and get a true weight then you can figure out how much pin weight your truck can handle. I think the tow rating was around 10,000lbs for your truck. Figure your pin weight will be AROUND 15% of total trailer weight.

You are sooo wrong! The 1500HD was a heavy half ton. Marketed that way.
Real 3/4 ton trucks do not have semi floating axles, they use FULL floating axles. The 1500HD was a marketing ploy by GM designed to sandwich between 1500 and 2500 trucks. Most of its components were from the 2500 parts bin with heavier springs. Thats why very few were sold, and they are no longer offered.
BTW the accepted norm for fifth wheel pin weight is 20% not 15%. 15% pin weight would make for a very unstable towing trailer.
20% of even a 10,000 pound fifth wheel is going to place 2000 pounds directly over the rear axle of the OP's truck. Since he states he has a crew cab it is likely he has a family. Kids, wife dog,ice chest, what ever he adds to his truck for a day trip all will reduce his payload. Add 250 pounds for a slider hitch if he has a short bed will reduce it even further.
I will revise my statement, can he pull a fifth wheel? Yes, but I doubt he will like the size of fiver he will be able to pull without exceeding his GVWR.